DIY option can pay dividends

Just as people are going online to organise their summer holidays, more and more are arranging their own ski breaks without using a tour operator, writes Emma Cullinan

PACKAGE companies make skiing holidays easy, you just turn up at the airport and on landing you are coached to the resort, handed ski-lift passes, escorted to a ski-hire shop and then on to ski school.

But just as people are organising summer holidays online, more and more are arranging their own ski breaks. The advantages are in flexibility and, very often, cost (cheap flights are crucial to this).

The idea came naturally to me because when I was a child, my family rarely did package skiing. Instead, we did a house swap: a Swiss family would come and stay in our city home and we would stay in their chalet in the Portes du Soleil region.

Later, we made friends in the one of the region’s resort and stayed with them. And, for a couple of years running, we drove to the campsite at Aviemore, in northeast Scotland, and skied in the Cairngorms. During those long weekends, we were never dry or warm and, after the second sojourn in a damp, snow-topped tent followed by skiing in saturating blizzards, my mother retired from the sport.

WHEN MY OWN children were young we went on a couple of packages – nabbing free child places where they were offered – but as they became teens or, in tour operator land, adults, the prices became prohibitive. With an average of about €600 each for self-catering and €800 upwards for half-board, it’s no wonder that people see skiing as an expensive experience. Spending close to €3,000 for a week’s family holiday in Europe isn’t funny: and that’s before you pay for lift passes, ski hire and, maybe, lessons.

The sums for doing it yourself include flight cost – which, as we all know, vary considerably and landing in the likes of Geneva, Milan and Zurich is rarely cheap because they are business traveller destinations.

Also, flights from Ireland to resort destinations with Ryanair and Aer Lingus don’t always take place daily, which hampers your flexibility, but considering that you will probably be hiring a car, then you can fly to almost anywhere within reason. Alternatively, you can get a taxi – usually more expensive than a car – or a train, for example, from Geneva or Zurich right into certain resorts, including Saas Fee and Zermatt.

So let’s say you get flights for €100 return each. Then you hire a car for the week at €250 (a small car is fine for four people as you’re only going to use it for a few hours) and you get bed and breakfast for €50 each a night for six nights. You’ve now got a week’s holiday for a family of four costing €1,850 plus petrol.

I can get cheaper: flights can easily be €50 each return and we have found accommodation for four in two linked hotel rooms for €100 a night, which would make the bill €1,050. A friend has found self-catering accommodation for three in Germany (Bad Hindelang) at €50 a night all in, including lift pass.

The crucial factor is the flight price, once it starts getting close to the package price it’s not worth the hassle – you might as well go with a package company.

THE WORRY PEOPLE have about organising their own ski holidays is how to get equipment, ski instructors and lift passes, but that’s easy.

Resorts are coming down with ski-hire shops, you just walk in, ask for what you want and they’ll fit it. Look at the price list by the till or in the window, but they are pretty much the same across all shops, many of which are owned by the ubiquitous InterSport.

Many hotels will have discount deals with certain shops, so ask in reception.

Lift passes can be bought at the main lift going up out of the resort and, often, other lifts in the resort too. You book lessons in one of the ski school offices in the resort: you’ll usually have a choice of the country’s main ski school – for example, in France it is ESF (L’école du Ski Français) – as well as private companies. You can also book lessons with the likes of ESF online before you go.

If you are just paying for yourself, when skiing alone, as a couple or in a group, it’s easier to treat yourself to a package but if you have offspring and are looking at the prospect of being priced out of ski holidays, then it’s worth checking out cheaper options.

Self-organised ski holidays are also good if you just want to ski for a few days, although package companies are beginning to offer alternatives to the Saturday to Saturday option.

Go there:

Ryanair (ryanair.com) lists its ski airports on its website homepage.

Aer Lingus (aerlingus.com) ski destinations include Geneva, Denver, Boston, Lyon, Milan, Munich, Salzburg, Toronto, Vancouver and Zurich.

While tour operators, such as Topflight (topflight.ie), Crystal (crystalski.ie) and Inghams (inghams.ie) would prefer you to book a package they also sell flights or accommodation only.